The Sunnydale Connection
by JA Baker
Summary: Sequel to ‘In a New York Minute’: Mathilda has trouble fitting in with the other Potentials, until she starts some unexpected friendships...
1. Chapter 1

**The Sunnydale Connection**

Mathilda watched the all-but-deserted town go by as Giles drove her to her future. They'd spent most of the time since leaving her apartment building in New York until arriving at LAX going other the history of the Slayer, and what it meant to be a Potential. After hearing what she was up against, Mathilda had insisted in visiting a gun-shop in L.A. to argument her already impressive arsenal with some serious firepower.

Giles had protested, claiming that firearms where almost useless against a Vampire, until Mathilda had calmly emptied a clip of 9mm hollow-point into the area denoting the heart on a cardboard target. He had relented, even going as far as suggesting that they get a small mould for making extra bullets, and a supply of silver.

Mathilda wasn't sure how much of this was helpful, and how much the Englishman was just humouring her, but given all she had learned, she had handed over half her role of $100-bills to the Watcher without question.

The car finally came to a stop outside a house that screamed 'suburbia' in Mathilda's mind, apart from the obviously hastily erected barricades over the windows. A slim woman with dark hair stood on the porch, cigarette in hand.

"Hey G, who's this?" Faith asked, blowing a smoke ring.

"Faith, this is Mathilda. Giles made the introductions while trying to lift the heavy bags from the back of the rental car, "Mathilda, this is Faith; one of the two Slayer I told you about."

"Let me give you a hand with those." Faith grabbed a bag, "Whoa, why you buy: a side of beef?"

"A Franchi SPAS-12 with 100 shells and a home-casting kit for silver bullets." Mathilda kicked the car door closed, "Oh, and copy of National Geographic."

"What are you, some kind of cop?" Faith asked, slightly suspicious.

"No," Mathilda walked past the Slayer and into the house, "I'm a cleaner."

* * *

"Um, Giles, there's something kind of odd about that new girl you brought by from New York." Buffy cornered her Watcher as he was leaving the bathroom, "Spill."

"Mathilda has had a rather unusual and tragic life." Giles walked to the back of the house where he hoped that no one would overhear them, "She was orphaned at 12, and only survived because a hit-man took her in…"

"You brought a professional killer with emotional problems into my house!" Buffy forced herself to keep her voice down, "Are you crazy? She's exactly the sort of person The First will try and influence." The Slayer rubbed her forehead, "I can't believe you did this.

"She took down two Bringers, un-assisted and without knowing what they where. She lives by a code of conduct that would surprise you. The Watchers Council spent a lot of time investigating her, and would have approached her themselves if they hadn't been blown up."

"And that's meant to make me feel better? The Council wasn't exactly known for employing 'nice' people. They probably wanted an assassin."

* * *

Mathilda sat on the back porch as the sun went down, trying to make her last few cigarettes last a bit longer. She watched the last embers of one die before searching the pack for a replacement but came up empty.

"Here, have one of mine." Faith sat down next to the Potential, "Not like Buffy's going to let you go to the store for another pack."

"Thanks." Mathilda took the offered cigarette and lit it, "I don't think she like me that much."

"You did kind of freak her out by field-stripping your guns on the dinner table." Faith smiled, "But I think she was more worried by how interested Dawn was."

"Believe me: I didn't encourage her." Mathilda blow a perfect smoke ring, "I just get a little restless at times. I need to unwind, but there's nothing to do here."

"Come with me." Faith stood, "I know something that'll unwind you."

* * *

"Spike, have you seen…" Buffy stopped at the bottom step of the basement stairs, "Faith!"

"What you want B?" Faith sat at the table in the middle of the room, dealing cards to Spike, Dawn and Mathilda, "We're kind of in a game right now."

"Faith, can I talk to you, NOW!" Buffy all but hissed through her teeth, indicating that this wasn't a request.

"Sure thing B." Faith put her cards down "Dealer folds: had a bad hand anyway."

* * *

"What the hell do you think you doing?" Buffy asked as soon as the two Slayers where in the kitchen.

"What's your problem girl?" Faith asked, sitting on the counter top.

"Letting Dawn spend time with Mathilda like that!"

"What's the problem?"

"She's a killer!"

"So am I, and you don't worry about Dawn hanging round with me." Faith looked at Buffy, suddenly seeming a lot more grownup and responsible than normal, "And so is Spike for that matter, or had you forgotten that he's a Vampire when the two of you where getting it on? Hell, even you've killed someone when there was no other choice."

"I didn't mean it like that: Mathilda is a professional contract killer."

"So? I hate to break it to you Buffy, but we are at war here. You think The First cares about any of that? Mathilda's a Potential, same as the rest of these girls we've got here: if one of use dies, she could be the next Slayer. I don't know if you've been looking, but some of the wannabe-Slayer's here are not that keen on the killing part, even when it comes to Vampires and Bringers. I for one like the idea that at lest one of them can take care of themselves."

"That still doesn't cover you teaching my little sister to play cards!"

"Teach? Where you been at B? Dawn must have taken at lest $50 of the three of us so far: you got a budding little card shark there girl."

* * *

"What you think they're talking about?" Mathilda asked, thankful that Spike was willing to share some of his whisky with her, as well as a carton of Lucky Strike's.

"Buffy's probably upset that a) I'm hanging out with you guys, and b) I'm playing cards." Dawn explained, "Older sisters can be like that."

"Mine wasn't." Mathilda shrugged, "I call: two pairs, Ace's over Eights."

"Beets me." Spike tossed his cards down in disgust.

"Read them an weep." Dawn smiled, placing her cards on the table, "Royal Flush."

"Why you little…" Mathilda almost gagged, "That's a nice trick, since one of the cards I got rid of was that Jack of Hearts."

"You cheating Little Bit?" Spike raised an eyebrow.

"It's only cheating if you get caught." Dawn smiled, but was cut off mid gloat by the sound of the front door exploding inwards.

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

_The Unicorn: Yes, someone should talk to Dawn, and I'm waiting to see what you come up with for your Buffy/Leon story. And Mathilda is about 20 or so (I think I mentioned it in the first story)._

_Trinfaneb: glad you like it._

_Smee: It's something I've intended to do for a while, and finally got round to._

_Angus Hardie: Yes, there is going to be a Faith/Mathilda friendship fic, in a way._

_Sean Malloy-1: I have about 4 works-in-progress on the go at the moment, so it may take awhile between chapters._

_MeoW03: Leon is a cool film :)_

_Dark Light: Well, you asked for it…_

**The Sunnydale Connection**

Mathilda was up the stairs in an instant, pulling the newly acquired shotgun from under the table as she erupted from her chair. Her hand pumped the massive plastic grip, and she hit the basement door with her shoulder, almost knocking it off its hinges. An evil looking Turok-Han stood where the front door had been, one Potential lying still at its feet, blood gushing from several wounds. Not even flinching, Mathilda brought the guns stock to her shoulder and fired.

The echoing discharge threatened to deafen everyone in the house, but the huge solid shell slammed into the Vampire, knocking it back a pace. Mathilda pulled the trigger again, thankful that the shells contained enough power to worked the semi-automatic reloading.

The second blast caught the vampire in the chest, sending it flying off the porch and sprawling onto the front path. Mathilda saw the creature start to rise, the shells doing nothing more than bruising it. Dropping the shotgun, she drew one of her 9mm and fired a single shot at the Turok-Han's head.

The silver hollow-point seemed to decapitate the creature, turning the rest to dust.

Only after she was sure that there where no other vampires or daemons in the vicinity did Mathilda rub her bruised shoulder, cursing the shotguns recoil under her breath. She turned to see Buffy, Faith and several of the other Potentials looking at her in amazement.

"Nice one M!" Faith smiled, clapping her hands, setting off most of the Potentials.

"Thanks." Mathilda smiled, then winched as she tried to move her arm, "But that thing's got a kick like a mule." She lifted the shotgun with her good arm, "Think I'd better see about making some silver rounds for this thing."

* * *

"Come on B: you have to admit she did well." Faith stood on the back porch, looking at the stars, "The only other Potential to pull a weapon rather than scream was Kennedy."

"I still don't trust her." Buffy shook her head, "Did you see the look on her face when she shot that thing? Nothing: no anger, no pain, no fear, nothing."

"Scared that what you see in her is what you see in yourself?"

"I'm not like that."

"You are B: I've seen you in action. It's like watching a machine: I've seen you take down half a dozen vamps without even blinking. It's the price we pay for being the Slayer: With great power comes great responsibility."

"You've been spending too much time with Xander and Andrew."

"Maybe."

* * *

"It's nothing personal luv." Spike sat on his bed, watching Mathilda listen in on the two Slayers through an open basement window, "Buffy doesn't trust easy."

"She trusts you." Mathilda looked at the bleach-blond vampire, "And you're meant to be her enemy."

"Yeah, it's funny how things work out sometimes."

"You find this all funny?"

"I'm the better part of 200-years old: I've seen and done a lot of things, most I'm not very proud of, but you learn to take the rough with the smooth."

"Really?"

"Life is hard, even when you don't have one."

* * *

"Should you be out here on your own?" Mathilda wondered out onto the patio some point later that night/early next morning.

"Not like I have a lot else to be doing." Dawn shrugged, "What's your excuse?"

"Jet-lag: I'm still on East Coast time."

"What's it like, New York?"

"You know the song with the line that says 'The City That Never Sleeps'?"

"Yeah."

"Not even close."

"Is it true, what I've herd you do…"

"Kill people for money? Yeah, it's true: been doing it since I was your age."

"How'd you get into it?"

"My dad got involved with some crooked cops. He tried to screw them on a drug deal, so they killed him, my step-mom, brother and sister."

"What!"

"No bull: I only lived because I'd popped down to the store on the corner."

"Didn't they catch you when you went back?"

"I got lucky: my neighbour let me in: he was a professional killer, although I didn't know it at the time."

"So he trained you?"

"Reluctantly: he didn't think it was a job for a 12-year old."

"What happened to him?"

"He died: same corrupt cops that killed my family. He managed to take them all with him thou."

"That's sad."

"Yeah kid, life normally is."

"Is life always this hard, or just when you're a kid?"

"Always like this. Now get some sleep before your sister catches us!"

* * *

"I'm taking some of the others to get some new cloths if you want to come." Faith found Mathilda in her normal spot on the back porch.

"Dose Buffy trust me to be let out of her sight?" The Potential asked.

"Who says I asked her? B needs to learn to chill out a little every now and then, or she's going to end up with an ulcer."

"If any of us live that long."

"Yeah, well that's our lot in life: Slayers live short, bloody and violent lives, and get to die trying to save the world."

"You seem ay ease with it?"

"Hell, I always figured I'd die young: just a question of when, where, why and how: being a Slayer just cuts down the options a little."

"Ok, let's go shopping. How much money should I take?"

"Money? Towns deserted M: we don't need no money!"

**To Be Continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

_Eggmal: Gee, I don't know; is an untreatable condition like dyslexia good enough reason for spelling mistakes?_

_What do you think?_

_Seriously, I want to know: I get people complaining about my spelling/grammar all the time, and I never grow tired of being told to use a spell-check, no matter how useless they are to someone who honestly can't tell the difference between two words that sound the same but mean different things. It really massages the ego to have people bitch and moan about something I have no control over ALL THE GOD DAMN TIME!_

_And before you say anything: yeah, I am little touchy about it._

_Darklight: the shopping trip from hell..._

_Sean: I work on an 'update-in-order' rotor, so it will take its turn._

_Bigstu: yes, as I've said, this is mainly going to be Faith/ Mathilda interaction_.

**The Sunnydale Connection**

The Mall was, as Faith promised, completely deserted. Most of the shops near the door had been looted, but only high-value things like TV's and DVD players had been stolen.

"Ok, here are the rules." Faith looked at the Potentials, "No going off in groups smaller than three. Keep your weapons about you at all times. Stick to what you need, not what you want, and be back here in an hour."

"You're getting good at this."Mathilda looked at the Slayer, "Where you going?"

"B said there was a camping and outdoor shore on the middle level that had a number of hunting crossbows. Figure I should go see if their still there?"

"Want some company?"

"Sure thing girl."

* * *

"Doesn't look like any looters got this far." Faith looked round the intact store, "We should probably check the back: it's the most likely place to hide the stuff we want."

"Cool." Mathilda looked round, then pulled a 9-mm from her coat pocket, "Kind of gives me the creeps: I've been in empty building before, but this is different..."

"Yeah, I'm feeling that myself." Faith looked round, "I say we get what we came for then go check on the others."

"I'm with you on that."

"You got some Holy water on you?" Mathilda picked up a water pistol as they passed a display, "I want to try something."

"Yeah: here." Faith handed her an old mineral water bottle, "What you got in mind?"

"You ever see 'From Dusk 'Till Dawn'?"

"Yeah, but I spent most of the time looking at George Clooney's butt."

"Then you missed the bit with the Super-Soaker."

"Must have." Faith punched through a glass display case holding several expensive looking crossbows, "Attention shoppers: Blue Light Special on all vamp-killin' equipment."

"Yeah: steel one, get one free." Mathilda grabbed a bag and started loading it with crossbows and bolts, "Grab the knives too."

"You catch on quick for a city girl."

"I may not be a trained Slayer, but I am a trained killer."

"You don't seem at all remorseful about what you do for a living."

"Don't get me wrong: I don't necessarily like killing people for a living, but I'm a bit pickier than others about who I go after."

"What do you mean?"

"Ok, I'll tell you a story about a guy I used to know called Martin Blank: he was a hit-man like me, but he had this well-defined sense of morality. He never really felt guilty about the people he was sent after; he used to say that if he turned up at your door, chances where you'd done something to bring him there."

"I bet a lot of people rationalise it that way."

"Yeah, well he did have a change of heart and got out of the game: ended up getting married and moving to Hawaii."

"You can make that sort of money?"

"$250,000 a year isn't unheard off, if you're good enough."

"And you?"

"I could retire and live comfortably for a very long time..." Mathilda was cut off by a loud scream, "They're playing our song."

"Grab the bag and stay close!" Faith lifted a repeater-crossbow and ran for the door.

* * *

A large number of vampire's had cornered some of the other Potentials, and where circling like sharks, waiting to see who they could pick off first. The young women had managed to get into a circle and draw their weapons, but they where all scared and un-coordinated in their defence.

"Excuse me!" Faith stood in the middle of the Mall with the crossbow at her hip, "Which one of you bitches wants to dance?"

The lead vampire leapt at with a roar, only to meet a crossbow bolt headed the other way. Faith quickly worked the reload, downing another vamp before they were all upon her. She dropped the crossbow and drew a stake from the back of her belt, using it with deadly efficiency, moving almost like a dance: not one move wasted or over-reached.

Mathilda had managed to work her way around from another side corridor and used her newly acquired water pistol: the jet of holy-water was deadly accurate, taking down the two vampires left to guard the Potentials. She then turned it on the rear rank of those waiting to attack Faith, making them burst into flame instantly.

Less than a minuet after Faith had called out her challenge, the fight as over.

* * *

"I don't know what you're so freaked over B." Faith sat the kitchen worktop, "We had it covered, and we came back intact, didn't we?"

"That's not the point Faith!" Buffy looked at the younger slayer, "You need to remember that they're not Slayers: they can't go up against a vampire and expect to win."

"I don't know: Kennedy and Mathilda have."

"Yeah, well, there are exceptions to every rule."

"You say that like it means anything. What is it you don't like about Mathilda?"

"I don't trust her: she's emotionally scared, and that's something The First could take advantage of."

"We all have our scares B: you just don't want to admit to yours."

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the delay everyone: my computer went on the blink three times in two weeks, and that kind of put a dent in my creative output as I'm now relegated to my old 288._

_We're also going to go a little more AU than before, but it's my story, and I'll write what I think works best. You are free to disagree, but nothing short of brown envelopes stuffed with £50 notes will stop me._

**The Sunnydale Connection (Part 4)**

Mathilda was yet again relegated to the back porch for her after-dinner cigarette, and leaned against the railing, blowing smoke into he cool Twighlight air. She sighed quietly: Buffy had spent the entire day watching her, waiting for her to slip up, and then gotten into a major argument with Kennedy and stormed out, leaving Faith in charge.

"May be you should kill her?" A voice from behind asked softly.

"What the hell?" Mathilda span round, and the cigarette dropped from her mouth, "**Léon?"**

"Yes, it's me." The tall, shorthaired man smiled, "It has been too long, no?"

"You're dead: you died in the explosion!"

"Do you really think I'd be caught in something so simple? I told you I wanted to live..."

"Don't even think about it!" Mathilda had her pistols drawn and pointing forward in a fraction of a second, "I know who you are: you're The First, the other s told me about you?"

"The first what? The first man who you fell in love with?"

"Léon's dead: he died in New York ten years ago."

"You always were a smart one." The spectre smiled, "You really think theses little girls playing at being heroes?"

"I don't seam to have much choice, do I?"

"There are always choices: I could use someone like you, someone with your 'talents' to help me deal with a few other troublesome individuals who try and stand in my way."

"If you're so powerful, why don't you deal with them yourself?"

"I'm non-corporeal: I can't touch them." The First smiled, "You on the other hand, have a chance to survive the coming apocalypse, maybe even end up as one of my Generals when my arms rise up and concur this world."

"Thanks, but no thanks: I may be a killer, but I'm not evil."

"We'll see..." The First vanished.

"Who you talking too M?" Faith appeared in the doorway behind thePotential.

"What?" Mathilda span round, gun pointing at the Slayers head, then dropped it to her side immediately, "Sorry; you startled me."

"Seeing someone who couldn't possibly be there huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't worry: The First dose it too us all." Faith shrugged, "I see a guy I used to work for, Willow saw some kid who died a while back, Dawn saw her mom, Andrew saw a dead friend of his and Buffy and Spike see themselves. I'm sure the others have seen something, but it's gotten them all a little freaked out so they don't talk about it."

"You seam to be able to accept it?"

"The way I see it, it's my turn to die stopping an apocalypse, so what's the point worrying." Faith shook herself, "Anyway: we think we've found a weapons cash set up by The First agents, and we're going to go raid it. You want to come?"

"Yeah." Mathilda smiled, "Who else is going to watch your back?"

* * *

Mathilda coughed, the dust from the explosions catching in her throat.

It had been a classic booby-trap, something she should have seen a mile off, but she'd walked into it the same as the others. She kicked herself mentally: she'd spent ten years training and working as a professional killer. Just because she was up against vampires and daemons didn't mean she could let her guard down.

Pulling herself into a sitting position, she checked herself for injuries and made sure she still had her weapons; the long sword she'd taken to carrying was still in her hand, and she could feel the weight of her 9mm's pulling down on her shoulders as they sat in their holster.

The others where also moving, pulling themselves together and helping those less fortunate. A body with long brunet hair caught her attention. She brushed the hair to the side to find Faith lying on the ground, apparently unconscious, and most defiantly hurt. Knowing that moving the Slayer could do more damage, Mathilda decided that getting her back to the Summer's house was more important, and so gently lifted her up and over one shoulder.

The tunnel leading back up to the street was full of smoke and dust, and Mathilda had to slowly maker her way along so as not to trip on the rubble-strewn floor. The other Potentials where also moving in the same direction, the general desire to get back to the relative safety of Buffy's house an unspoken agreement.

There was a blur of movement and a Turok-Han leaped down the stairs in front of them, followed by another behind.

Swallowing hard, Mathilda held her sword at the ready.

**To Be Continued...**


	5. Chapter 5

_Ok folks, I'd like to thank Zira from Twisting the Hellmouth for taking up the job of_ _beta-reader for this story (even if she did complain that the chapter ended to early for her liking...). Having a beta means that any spelling/grammatical mistakes are not my fault, so don't flame me for them._

_Darkling: not sure you're going to like this..._

**The Sunnydale Connection (Part 5)**

Mathilda's eyes moved from one Turok-Han to another, counting them: four of the proto-vampires where circling them, cutting of their only means of escape, but not attacking the terrified Potentials.

"I bet you wish you'd taken me up on my offer." A voice called from the shadows, and The First stepped forward, still looking like Léon, "Care to reconsider? There's no reason for you to die down here."

"Go to hell!" Mathilda spat, actually managing to sound more convinced than she really was.

"This is not your fight, you don't owe them anything." The First stepped passed the Turok-Han, who had stopped moving, "Swear allegiance to me, and live. Stay with them, and die."

"Forgive me if I have trouble believing you..."

"I can have you killed instantly." The First pointed at the vampires, "What do I have to gain by lying to you?"

"You're The First Evil, how should I know what sick and twisted games you like to play?"

"Kill those children and the Slayer, and I'll let you go." The First stood, arms crossed, "Well?"

Mathilda looked at the shaking Potentials, then gently lowered Faith to the ground before taking a grip on her sword with both hands, "No women, no kids."

"Oh well, I offered." The First morphed into its regular Buffy guise, then turned to the Turok-Han, "Kill them, kill them all."

The four Turok-Han roared, then turned to face the huddled Potentials. Their talons flexed, razor-sharp claws scrapping against each other like fingers down a blackboard.

Swallowing hard, Mathilda raised her sword to the ready position, and shifted her balance to lower her centre of gravity: she'd trained in the use of knives, but had never felt the need to experiment with anything larger. She knew she was going to die, that this would be her last stand, but she sure as hell was going to go out fighting.

"Ok boys." She looked the nearest Turok-Han in the eyes, "Let's dance!"

There was the sound of running feet, followed by a blur of motion as Buffy left through the air, scythe in hand. She brought the weapon round as she landed, decapitating one of the daemons instantly.

Most of the Potentials screamed, but Kennedy and Mathilda did their best to hold two of the proto-vampires back while Buffy took down the third with a jab that sent the spike on the end of her weapon into its heart.

The other two quickly followed, and the hurt and scared Potentials quickly made their way beck to the house.

* * *

Mathilda sat in a chair next to the bed where the still unconscious had been put after her cuts and bruises had been seen to. No one else seemed that eager to spend any time with the infamous 'Dark Slayer', but Mathilda was not about to abandon one of the few people who'd even tried to talk to her since she'd arrived.

Spike had stayed with her for a while, and they'd talked about New York, but sunrise had come and he'd retreated to the basement to sleep.

"You did well last night." Buffy appeared in the doorway, startling Mathilda to the point where she almost fell out of her chair.

"Um, thanks." Mathilda blinked, unsure how to react.

"I'm sorry if I'm a little hard on you at times, but I've learned the hard way that it can be dangerous to trust people without question."

"I understand, I..."

"No: let me finish or I'll never have the confidence to say it again." Buffy took a deep breath, "I heard about the deal The First offered you, and how you turned it down. That took a lot of courage, and more than a little honour. Giles said you weren't a cold-blooded killer, but I didn't believe him." She turned to leave, "I'm sorry."

The elder Slayer left.

"B apologising?" Faith groaned from the bed, "I'd never have believed it if I hadn't heard it myself."

"You're awake!" Mathilda span round, "How you feeling?"

"Like a bomb went off in my face. What happened?"

"A bomb went off in your face."

"Oh, well I guess that explains that then..."

"Do you need any help?"

"I could use a drink."

"Let me." Mathilda grabbed a glass of water from the nightstand and held it while Faith took a sip, "You scared the hell out of me: you're just about the only friend I have in this town."

"I'm a Slayer M: we take a lot of killing."

"You looked dead."

"Wouldn't be the first time, and I doubt that too many people would be that upset if I did die."

"I would."

"Thanks M." Faith looked the older woman in the eye, "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"You're the first person in a long time who's cared about me as a person, not because of what I can do."

"I know how hard it can be to live like that." Faith smiled, resting a hand on Mathilda's shoulder, making her shiver, "But it's more than that, isn't it?"

"Yes..."

"Come here."

"Why?"

"I'm going to show you something." Faith moved her hand to the back of Mathilda's head and pulled her closer.

"I've never done anything like this before." Mathilda admitted hesitantly.

"Well that makes two of us..." Faith whispered as their lips met.

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Chapter 6

_Note to all: never intended this to be a fem-slash story. Ok, so a lot of my stories **are** fem-slash: this wasn't meant to be one of them._

_It just kind of happened._

_Honest._

**The Sunnydale Connection (Part 6)**

"Um, guys?" Willow knocked tentatively on the bedroom door, "Buffy want to see us all downstairs." No response came from the other side, and she tentatively opened it, "Are you two ok?" She stopped when she saw Faith in bed with her arms wrapped around Mathilda, the two of them evidently asleep.

"Who is it?" Faith asked, waking when her Slayer-senses alerted her to someone else was in the room, "What is it Red?"

"Um, Buffy wants to see everyone downstairs..." Willow trailed off hesitantly.

"What?" Faith asked, then looked at the still sleeping Mathilda, then back to the Witch, "Figured you be the one person here to accept this."

"I do, it's just a little..."

"Unexpected? Yeah, kind of." Faith grabbed her clothes from the floor, "Tell B we'll be down in ten."

"Ok." Willow quickly closed the door and headed back down stairs as fast as she could, more than a little confused.

"Hey, time to wake up M." Faith shook Mathilda's shoulder.

The 9mm was pressed against her face in an instant, the Potential's speed and reflexes surprising even the Dark Slayer.

"Sorry: old habit's die hard and all." Mathilda lowered the gun then looked at Faith, "Did we really...?"

"Yeah, twice."

"I've never even considered anything like that before."

"Can't say it's not something I've not wondered about, but never actually gone through with."

"Is this going to get weird?"

"Define 'weird'? I'm a Slayer; you're my potential replacement. We live on top of a gateway to hell and could die at any minuet. I can't help but feel that what we did last night was the least 'weird' thing we've done all week."

"It's just..." Mathilda rested her head against the pillow, "I'm not that experienced, relationship wise: I could never get involved with a 'normal' person because I could never tell them what I did for a living. And the people who know what I did were all a little, well, unpleasant."

"Hey, like I said: I always figured I was going to die young, so I never contemplated a relationship."

"And now?"

"And now I say we wait to see how this all works out: I've been hurt too many times by losing people I'm close to, and I'm not sure I want to risk it again." Faith looked sad, "Sorry if that seems a little selfish, but it's just the way I am."

"Hey, I understand." Mathilda pulled Faith down for a kiss, "So what do we do now?"

"As much fun as this would be to continue, B want to see everyone downstairs." Faith broke away reluctantly, "And I'd hate to have to face her if we were late."

* * *

Everyone was waiting for them when they finally got to the living room to hear what Buffy had to say that was so important. They got glances from the other Potentials, aside from Kennedy who as ever only had eyes for Willow.

Mathilda couldn't help but feel that there was going to be a problem at some point in the future when Buffy finally had enough of the younger woman's snide remarks.

"Ok, now we're all here, we can begin." Buffy stood in the middle of the room, "All of you have to make a choice..."

* * *

"You really think this plan of Buffy's is going to work?" Mathilda stood in the middle of a basement tunnel under Sunnydale High School, sword in hand, "It's kind off the wall."

"Off the wall's what B does best." Faith pushed a large bookcase against a doorway, blocking it off, "Besides, short of napalming the Hellmouth, what other choice do we have?"

"I'm with the napalm plan." Principal Woods checked to door to make sure it wouldn't open, "But since we don't have any..."

"I know how to make it." Mathilda admitted absentmindedly, and then saw the look the other two gave her. "What? It was in _Fight Club_."

"Film geek." Faith smiled, "Come on; we got two more doors to block before we go."

* * *

"So what do we do now?" Mathilda asked once they had all returned to Buffy's house at the end of a long day, "Just sleep and forget about what we're going to do tomorrow?"

"Eat, drink and make merry, for tomorrow we may die." Faith shrugged, unscrewing the top to a bottle of whisky and taking a deep gulp, "You got any better ideas?"

"No." Mathilda sat next to the other woman and took a long drink from the bottle, "Apart from going upstairs and finishing what we started earlier."

"Normally I'd agree, but some how this time it feels a little..."

"Different?"

"Yeah."

"So what do we do instead?"

"We drink."

* * *

"How do you feel?" Faith asked next morning, finishing her second mug of strong black coffee, "You look like I feel."

"Yeah, so do you." Mathilda rubbed her aching head; "I'd almost welcome the end of the world at this point."

"Almost?"

"Well, I've got one thing to live for."

"True." Faith kissed the older woman deeply, "You ready?"

"As anyone could ever be." Mathilda lifted her sword, "Hi-ho, hi-ho, off to the Hellmouth we go..."

**To Be Continued...**


	7. Chapter 7

_Darklight: yep  
__Maverick: oh hell yeah!  
__Rankokun: blame my warped and twisted sense of humour  
__Dawn: I'm a 20-something heterosexual male. What was your question again?_

**The Sunnydale Connection (Part 7)**

Sunnydale High School stood before the assembled army of Slayers, Potentials and assorted friends. Mathilda gripped her sword nervously, wishing she had something a little more powerful.

Like a 50-megaton nuke or two.

Buffy took a silent step forward, signalling them to follow her.

"You ok?" Faith asked as they made their way down into the basement as the others got set up.

"I'm about to voluntarily walk into the mouth of hell to face an army of demons and vampires, and you ask me if I'm 'ok'?" Mathilda looked at her lover with one eyebrow raised, "What does 'ok' mean on the planet you're from?"

"Point well made." Faith smiled, "You'll get through this: you're a fighter."

"I guess we're about to find out…" Mathilda watched as Buffy opened the sealed Hellmouth and lead the way down, Spike bringing up the rear, the medallion Angel had given Buffy hanging round his neck.

The cover to the Hellmouth opened with the sound of grinding rock, revelling a stairway leading down even further. Buffy went first, followed by Spike and the Potentials, with Faith bringing up the rear.

They followed the passageway at the bottom of the steps until it opened up onto a ledge overlooking a truly massive cavern that seemed to stretch to the horizon. Tens of thousands of Bringers and Turok-Han covered the floor in a mass of pure evil, ready to go forth and destroy the human world.

The Potentials looked like deer caught in headlights.

Mathilda held her breath, worried that the slightest sound would alert the army below them to their presence, and end their desperate gambit before it started. Her sword felt heavy in her sweating hands, and her heartbeat sounded like a heavy metal drum solo in her ears.

One of the Turok-Han looked up and saw them. It let out a blood-curdling scream, alerting the others to the threat.

As one they charged, running up the almost sheer rock face towards the Potentials.

Something inside Mathilda clicked, and her training and experience took over. She drove her sword into the ground by the point and reached into the pockets of her trench coat. Her hands were back out in a flash, each one holding the deadly shape of a grenade. She took a quick step forward, her thumbs pulling the pins from the grenades as she dropped them down the cliff.

They exploded halfway down, flame and smoke claiming dozen demons instantly, the shock spooking some of the others.

"What the hell was that?" Faith asked.

"My last two incendiary grenades." Mathilda pulled her sword free, "Figured it was a case of use them or lose them…"

* * *

Willow sat crossed-legged on the floor of Principal Woods' office, holding the Slayer Scythe with both hands, chanting under her breath. The air around the young Wicca started to glow with energy as the incantation reached its apex, her eyes glowing as her hair turned from red to blond. 

"Oh. My. Goddess!" She exclaimed, the power running from the scythe, thought her and out into the world, changing it forever.

"_So here's the part where you make a choice."_

Buffy's words echoed in the mind of every Potential.

_"What if you could have that power...now? In every generation one Slayer is born because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule."_

Then they felt the rush of pure, primordial power flow through them, invigorating their very being. Hands gripped weapons with renewed courage and conviction. Faith gave Mathilda a sly wink.

"_I say we change the rule. I say my power should be our power. From now on, every girl in the world who might be a Slayer, will be a Slayer."_

The army of Turok-Han reached the top of the cliff, a literal wall of death.

"_Every girl who could have the power will have the power."_

The unstoppable force of the charging Turok-Han met the immovable object of the newly activated Slayers.

_"Can stand up, will stand up."_

Power untapped since the dawn of history resonated out of the Hellmouth, covering the globe. In every country on Earth, the remaining Potentials felt what it was to be the Slayer, and it changed everything.

"_Slayers, every one of us."_

The Slayers, humanity's only line of defence against the darkness, met The First's army head on.

"_Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?"_

* * *

"You are a Goddess!" Kennedy grinned at the radiant Willow. 

"Get this to Buffy." Willow held out the scythe to her lover before collapsing on the floor, overwhelmed by the flow of positive magic that poured through her.

* * *

Mathilda swung her sword through a wide arc, decapitating a Turok-Han and a Bringer with little apparent effort. She had never felt the need to learn sword fighting before, but she found that her experience with knives helped immensely. 

Kennedy bounded down the steppes and threw the scythe to Buffy, who grabbed it out of the air and staked a Turok-Han in one fluid movement. She kept going, hoping that they could hold their own until Spike's medallion did whatever the hell it was meant to do.

She didn't see the Bringer get behind her with a sword, but she felt the pain as the long blade was pushed straight through her body. She fell to her knees, tossing the scythe to Faith before she collapsed on the floor.

Faith caught the scythe, dropping her own axe, and tried to get to the fallen Slayers side. But the Turok-Han seemed to sense she was the biggest threat, and concentrated their attack on her. Her last act before they overwhelmed her was to throw the scythe into the air.

Mathilda caught it with one hand, wielding her sword with the other. She stabbed a Bringer through the chest with the sword, her newly enhanced strength burying the first few inches of the blade into the rock wall behind the daemon, pinning it in place so she could decapitate it with the scythes axe-head.

Buffy was back on her feet, working through the pain, and Mathilda tossed her back her weapon without thinking twice. Turok-Han went flying as Faith erupted like a landmine; all the rage and anger that had been building up inside her during her prison stay blubbering over.

Spike screamed in pain and surprise as his medallion started to glow with power.

**To Be Continued…**

_This chapter was written under the influence of beer, so it may seem a little wired.  
__I will say this in my defence: I was very, very, very drunk at the time…_

_Beer: helping no-talent hacks look like real writers since 1811_


	8. Chapter 8

_Darklight: yeah  
__Rankokun: I hope this was fast enough  
__Dawn: Joss Whedon is a freaking genius, and I can only hope to someday be half the writer he is_

**The Sunnydale Connection (Part 8)**

A pillar of light and flame erupted up out of the Hellmouth, blasting through rock and school as it rocketed skywards. Spike screamed as he stood there in the centre of the beam, the medallion he wore sending out beams of light that filled the cavern. Turok-Han, Bringers and other assorted daemons burst into flame on contact with the light.

"TIME TO GO!" Faith yelled above the sound of rock giving way.

The Potentials bolted for the stairs, Faith and Matilda bringing up the rear, leaving only Buffy and Spike.

"Go!" The blond vampire stood rock solid under the flow of power filling the Hellmouth, "I mean it! I gotta do this."

"I love you." Buffy looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"No you don't, but thanks for saying it." Spike smiled softly, "Now go!"

Buffy turned and ran up the stairs and out of the Hellmouth.

His body burning as the daylight struck him, Spike smiled, finally at peace, "I want to see how it ends." He turned to dust as the cave finally collapsed in upon itself, sealing the Hellmouth forever.

* * *

"This has been without a doubt the craziest six weeks of my life." Matilda was sat on the floor of the school bus as the others looked at the crater that was once Sunnydale.

"Hey, that's life on a Hellmouth." Principal Woods smiled, "The fun just never stops."

"Laugh it off teach: I'm not the one who got stabbed."

"True." Woods laughed, "How do you know how to patch someone up so good?"

"You live the kind of life I did, you learn how to deal with this sort of thing." Matilda shrugged, "ER Docs ask too many questions."

"So what you going to do now?"

"That depends on Faith: I don't want to go back to my old job, and I doubt she'd last long in New York without upsetting my former employers. I'll go where she goes."

* * *

The Bracken demon known as Elwood walked though the hotel lobby, followed by his bodyguards. He hated New York, but he needed to be there to finalise a deal for some powerful magical books he'd acquired from a former, now dead, Watcher.

He told Ricky to keep watch in the lobby. He didn't think much of the young Vampire, but the guy was unquestionably loyal, and could be trusted with such a simple task.

The hotel was known in daemon circles for being very accommodating, and the windows where all specially treated to block the part of the spectrum that was harmful to vampires. The penthouse had a beautiful view of Central Park, and Elwood smiled as he waited for his contact to arrive.

"_Um, boss_." Ricky's voice crackled over the radio, "_There's someone here to see you_."

"Who is it?" Elwood asked, looking at his watch.

* * *

"Someone serious." Ricky looked at the crossbow bolt that was pointed straight at his heart.

"Tell him I'm coming up." A soft voice ordered.

* * *

"_She's coming up_…" Ricky was cut off by the sound of a crossbow firing and his body crumpling to dust.

"Holly shit!" Elwood grabbed an axe from the coffee table and looked at his other three bodyguards, "Someone's coming up, someone serious."

The three demons looked at each other, drawing their weapons. The tallest one, a 200-year old vampire, carried a long rapier hidden in his trenchcoat. The other two, Bracken demons like their boss, pulled .45-caliber automatics from their belts.

"Lou, check the stairs." Elwood nodded to the vampire as he went to check the security cameras that watched the approaches to the room. He caught a glimpse of something moving at the very edge of one camera before it died.

* * *

Following his employer's orders, the vampire known as Lou walked out onto the landing that looked out over the stairwell. It was impossible to get a good scent: too many people used it each day, but he couldn't see or hear anyone. He turned around to go back inside the penthouse, and didn't notice the metal nose slip over his head until it was too late.

One sharp tug and his neck was severed. He looked surprised for a split second, and then crumpled to dust on the floor.

* * *

"They got Lou!" Elwood saw it all happen on the CCTV, a panicked expression crossing his face. He momentarily changed from his human guise to his demon form, before regaining control. He hit the button that activated the security system, supposable turning the penthouse into an impregnable fortress.

A shadow moved across the shutters that had descended over the wall-to-wall window, and the other two demons opened fire, emptying their guns in a matter of seconds.

"Go check it out!" Elwood ordered, backing up against the wall as the shutter reopened. The two remaining bodyguards reloaded their weapons and stepped out through the shattered glass and onto the balcony beyond.

The heavy metal shutter fell down with a crash, followed by a pair of muffled gunshots and two bodies hitting the floor. The shadow repapered, and Elwood saw an eye pear at him through a bullet hole. Elwood back-pedalled, dropping his knife so he could grab a phone and dial a number from memory.

"_Wolfram and Hart New York, how may I help you?_"

"This is Elwood Lake." The Bracken daemon spoke quickly, "I'm staying at the Hotel Augusta off Central Park. Someone's to…" He stopped as he left the cold metal of a knife press against his throat, "I'll call you back." He ended the call.

Matilda's face appeared from the shadows next to his face, a small business card in her other hand.

"Call this number." She ordered, her voice low and soft but full of menace.

Nodding, Elwood dialled the number printed on the card and held the phone to his ear.

"_Do you know who this is?_" The voice on the other end asked.

"Yeah." The daemon swallowed, his throat dry.

"_Good. I'll get_ _straight to the point: you stole some books from a friend of mine shortly after her death. I want them to be returned in the same condition you found them. Do this and we let you live. Do you understand?_"

"Yes."

"_Good. Let me speak to our mutual friend._"

"He wants to talk to you." Elwood held out the phone for Matilda.

"Yes?" She asked, taking it in the hand that held the card.

"_Make sure he understands._" The line clicked off.

"Do you understand?" Matilda asked, her voice just above a whisper.

"I understand." Elwood swallowed again.

Matilda disappeared back into the shadows, her knife leaving the demons neck.

Elwood slowly turned round, but there was no sign of the Slayer.

* * *

Giles sat at his desk in the rebuilt Watchers headquarters in London and smiled: despite Buffy's views to the country, sometimes the old council's methods were still needed. Matilda was perfect for jobs that required stealth and skill: her pervious training, coupled with her Slayer strength and reflexes made her the perfect 'stick' for the new Watchers Council.

Buffy didn't like it, but she'd adopted a policy of 'Don't ask, don't tell' when it came to this side of the work.

* * *

A black SUV with tinted windows pulled up outside the hotel as Matilda stepped out the front door into the first light of dawn. She opened the rear door and climbed in without looking round, and the car rejoined the sparse pre-rush hour traffic.

"So how did it go?" The driver, a newly qualified Watcher asked.

"As planned." Matilda methodically removed all her weapons and placed them in a box on the seat next to her, "I don't think we'll have any more trouble from him."

"That's good." The driver nodded, slightly nervous: he'd heard stories about the Slayer sitting in the back of his car, and the last thing he wanted to do was annoy her, "Your flight back to Cleveland leaves in two hours, and we'll be at JFK in one."

"That's good." Matilda fastened her seatbelt and lit a cigarette, opened the window to let out the smoke. She smiled, "It'll be good to get home."

**The End!**

_My thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and to Zira for beta-reading the second half of this story: it's been a wild, twisted ride, but you've all stuck with me to the end, and that means a lot to me._

_Catch you on the flipside,_

_Jeff_


End file.
